1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to an improved system for draining oil from internal combustion engines.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is extremely important to periodically change the oil in an internal combustion engine, both from a maintenance viewpoint of extending the life of the engine and from an ecological viewpoint of enhancing the performance of the engine. However, while adding oil to an internal combustion engine of a typical automobile or truck can normally be done fairly easily by merely opening the hood that covers the top of the engine, removing the cap that covers the oil fill tube, and pouring fresh oil from cans or the like into the oil fill tube, the drainage of used oil from the engine is typically difficult and time consuming. More specifically, most automobiles and trucks require a person to crawl or reach underneath the automobile or truck to remove the drain plug for removing used oil from the engine thereof. In addition, to prevent spillage of the used oil, a used oil receptacle must be placed under the drain port at the exact moment the drain plug is removed therefrom. This is further complicated by the fact that the used oil should be hot when it is drained from the engine. After the used oil is drained from the engine, a person must then crawl or reach back underneath the automobile or truck to replace the drain plug. Finally, the used oil must be disposed of in a legal, safe manner.
A preliminary patentability search has been conducted in class 184, subclass 1.5.
Grace, U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,250, issued May 4, 1976, discloses a two position drain valve or cock installed permanently in the threaded drain plug opening of an automotive crankcase. The drain valve or cock is operated by a crank arm arranged exteriorly of the valve casing on a valve actuating rotary shaft. The crank arm is shifted between opened and closed positions by a push-pull cable assembly including a manual lever pivoted to a mounting bracket installed under the hood of the automobile at a conveniently accessible location.
Mitsui, U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,981, issued May 2, 1978, discloses a drain device for removing or draining oil from oil pans used on engines of automobiles and similar vehicles. The drain device is mounted in the oil drain outlet of the oil pan and includes a valve which, when opened, permits the oil in the oil pan to drain from the oil pan and which, when closed, prevents the draining of oil from the oil pan. The valve is actuated by a handle or knob which is mounted on the dashboard of the automobile or vehicle.
Scott, U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,307, issued Nov. 10, 1981, discloses an oil level indicating and refilling device which includes a tube for being inserted to a predetermined depth into the dip stick orifice of an internal combustion engine, and connected to a small pump to initiate oil circulation in a line between the dip stick orifice and the tube. A pressure sensitive switch is inserted in this line and held in a normally open position while sufficient pressure is being sensed. When the oil level of the engine falls below the tube, the oil pressure sensed by the pressure sensitive switch drops and the switch closes, activating an indicator light disposed on the instrument panel of the vehicle. A oil reservoir is positioned above the engine and connected to the tube. A valve is disposed between the reservoir and the tube, and can be operated by remote control from inside the vehicle. When the indicator light is activated, the vehicle operator can actuate the valve to allow oil to flow into the engine from the reservoir.
Price et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,664, issued Mar. 16, 1982, discloses a remotely controlled oil drain valve for being installed in the threaded drain plug opening of an automotive crankcase to permit drainage of crankcase oil without removal of the crankcase plug. The valve includes a valve core, a control arm attached to the valve core for moving the valve core between opened and closed positions, and a cable control mechanism having one end attached to the control arm and having a handle attached to the other end and mounted remote from the drain plug opening.
Marinelli, U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,718, issued Nov. 6, 1984, discloses a gravity induced lubricating oil level regulator system for use with an internal engine having a dipstick tube and an oil sump. The oil level regulator system includes an air-sealed lubricating oil reservoir adapted to be disposed above the level of the oil in the oil sump, and at least two elongated sloping tubes having their upper ends attached to the oil reservoir and their lower ends extended through the dipstick tube into the oil sump. The lower ends of the two sloping tubes are disposed at the functional oil level, and means is proved for sealing the elongated sloping tubes in the dipstick tube.
Vermeulen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,622, issued Oct. 15, 1991, discloses an oil level regulator for an internal combustion engine having an oil sump and a starter motor. A tank for topping-up oil is connected to the sump by a controllable shut-off device. A level measuring device measures the level of oil in the sump. If the oil level in the sump is adequate, the regulator allows the starter motor to be activated in the normal manner to start the engine. However, if the oil level in the sump is too low, the regulator prevents the starter motor from being activated and opens the shut-off device to allow oil to flow from the tank to the sump. When the oil level has risen to an adequate level, the regulator then closes the shut-off device and allows the starter motor to be activated.
None of the above identified patents or prior art discloses or suggests the present invention. More specifically, none of the above identified patents or prior art discloses or suggests a used oil drain system including, in general, valve means for being attached to the oil sump of an internal combustion engine; the valve means including a valve member having an opened position for allowing used oil to pass through the valve means from the oil sump of the internal combustion engine and having a closed position for preventing used oil from passing through the valve means from the oil sump of the internal combustion engine; used oil reservoir means for being mounted relative to the internal combustion engine; and passageway mean extending between the valve means and the used oil reservoir means for allowing used oil passing through the valve means from the oil sump of the internal combustion engine when the valve member is in the opened position to pass to the used oil reservoir means for storage.